Classes

“Exercise is medicine.” - Emilee Garfield

Yoga

Emilee's Yoga Class mixes strength and flexibility while focusing on form and injury prevention. She uses her years of training in the Iyengar Method with a combination of Pilates to create a perfect fusion of Yoga, Pilates and Core Class. Her warm personality, attention to detail, easy to follow queing and playful spirit, make a person feel challenged yet successful while in her class. She will keep you motivated and coming back for more. Individual custom programs available. Contact Emilee to set up your appointment.

Cancer Core Recovery, developed by Emilee Garfield (two time cancer survivor), is a series of flexibility, strength and balance movements. This class goes beyond the typical “poses” format and takes you on a journey to develop your own inner strength, helping you to create a strong new foundation.

This class is specifically designed for women recovering from any lower abdominal cancers, including all gynecological cancers (Ovarian, Cervical, Vaginal, Uterine), colon cancer as well as breast (TRAM/LAT flap surgery) and prostate cancer. Safe to do with ileostomy and colostomy.

DAVINCI BOARD

Scoliosis Management Specialization Program

Scoliosis and Pilates

The spinal disorder scoliosis affects an estimated 6 million people in the United States, according to the National Scoliosis Foundation. It’s a potentially debilitating condition that can affect self-esteem and overall quality of life. Although there’s no cure, exercise like Pilates can help strengthen the muscles in the back and treat symptoms of the disease.

Reports in the medical literature on individual patients with scoliosis show that Pilates, alone or in the combination with other exercises, helps flexibility and mobility, strengthens and stabilizes muscles around joints, decreases back pain and allows posture adjustments to improve spinal alignment and symmetry.

Pilates can be very safe for scoliosis patients, but every situation is different and you need to adjust exercises to accommodate your limitations.

Emilee has trained with Dr. Suzanne Martin , DPT in her rigorous Pilates Therapeutics Specialization Program for Scoliosis Management. Emilee tailors the therapeutic application of this Pilates Method for each individual client.

Yoga for Scoliosis

There are six major areas of the body to focus on while doing the yoga poses for scoliosis. These areas are very important in creating proper alignment, decreasing pain and minimizing further curvature of the spine.

Feet and legs. When standing and walking, it is very important to place equal weight on both feet and to be aware of any imbalances. Strengthening the legs creates a solid foundation from which the spine can stretch and become freer, and it enables the legs, rather than the spine, to carry the weight of the body.

Spine. Since this is where the scoliosis is located, it is important to focus on lengthening the spine, which tends to reduce the S curve.

Psoas (Major and Minor). These two muscles (a pair on each side of the body) are the principal flexors of the thigh. They arise from the iliacus muscle and along the vertebral column and join to insert on the lesser trochanter of the femur. Together with the iliacus, they form a structural and functional unit called the iliopsoas. Besides flexing the thigh, the iliopsoas is an important postural muscle. During sitting it balances the torso, in standing it counteracts the tendency of the torso to fall behind the line of gravity, which passes just in back of the hip joints. Keeping this muscle well toned aligns the lower limbs with the torso and frees the spine.

Scapula. To prevent the upper back from rounding (a common problem in people with scoliosis), it is important to drop the shoulder blades down from the ears and draw them in toward the front of the body. To facilitate this movement, we must develop increased flexibility of the muscles surrounding the shoulder blades.

Abdominal Muscles. Strengthening the abdominal muscles is important with scoliosis. If the abdominals are weak, then it causes the back muscles to overwork and tighten. In extreme cases, it may cause lordosis or an extreme curve of the lower back particularly on the concave side of the lower back.

Breath. Awareness of the breath is perhaps the most important thing to focus on while doing yoga poses. Usually very little air enters the lung on the concave side of the spine. Sending the breath into the collapsed rib cage on this side can actually stretch the intercostal muscles and create more lung capacity. This creates more openness and evenness on both sides of the chest from the inside out.

Emilee Garfield is a certified Yoga for Scoliosis Trainer, trained by Elise Miller, Senior Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Elise specializes in back and sports related injuries. Elise has successfully used Yoga to minimize the effects of her own scoliosis and has created a specialized Yoga for Scoliosis Training Program.

Currently, Emilee is the only Certified Yoga for Scoliosis Trainer in Santa Barbara County.